Team Players! FDU at the World Cup
Throughout the summer, several FDU students and alumni volunteered and worked for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. From providing technical support in Canada to greeting guests at the final match, we are proud of all who participated in this historic event. Learn about their stories and experiences below!
“I worked as a lounge manager for every 2026 World Cup game at New York New Jersey (MetLife) Stadium. I oversaw all aspects of the affiliate hospitality lounge operations, delivering a world-class experience for VIP guests, sponsors and key stakeholders. I also had the joy of working directly with another FDU alumni, Jason Donohue, BA’26 (Flor)!”
“I worked as an IT technical operations specialist representing Lenovo, providing on-site setup and support at BC Place Vancouver. Working as an IT student assistant at FDU Vancouver prepared me the most for this role. It gave me real experience handling critical IT tickets and supporting users directly, which is the same thing the World Cup needed, just on a much bigger scale.”
“As the hospitality event staff manager, I supervised 30 to 35 event staff members in the hospitality area throughout the tournament. I was originally hired as an event staff member myself, but was promoted the night before the first game. This came with added stress, but as the games went on, I became comfortable managing the team in a fast-paced environment. My coworkers were some of the kindest and most genuine people I have ever met, making the experience both enjoyable and unforgettable.”
“I served as a Host City ambassador, where I welcomed fans from all over the world and made sure they had a great experience in the host city, which was New York and New Jersey. I also served as the eyes and ears of the host city by reporting any issues to ensure everything ran smoothly. It was a fun experience to be surrounded by people who had come together for something so big and global. With more than one million volunteer applications submitted, I’m honored to have been one of approximately 65,000 volunteers selected!”
“Throughout the tournament I worked at New York New Jersey Stadium, including the final, assisting with hospitality operations and guest services. I enjoyed working alongside a diverse team, including many students and young professionals around my age, which created a collaborative and energetic environment. This was truly a once-in-a-lifetime experience, and I am grateful for the opportunity to be part of such a historic event.”
“I worked as a venue support technician, providing Level 2 technical support for approximately 300 devices on-site, including laptops, phones, printers, MiFis and tablets. I enjoyed collaborating with vendor technicians and venue operations staff to keep devices ready and incidents resolved quickly during live event operations. It was a fast-paced, high-pressure environment, but a great experience to be part of something on that scale.”
“I was a Last Mile volunteer.” The Last Mile refers to the walkways and fan zones that guide spectators from public transit drop-off points to the stadium entrances. “I greeted fans when they entered and exited the stadium and handed out water to fans as they exited the matches. I enjoyed meeting many new people who I can now call friends and colleagues. I’ll truly cherish this moment for the rest of my life.”
“As a fan operations supervisor, I managed match-day fan operations volunteers by welcoming them to the stadium and answering their questions. It felt unbelievable that a sporting event I grew up watching on TV with family and friends was not only in my home state, but I got to personally be there for every match. I witnessed fans of both teams, who were so excited to be there, take photos together, screaming, chanting and having a good time. I couldn’t help but smile and was just as excited as they were.”
“I served as a transportation coordinator, assisting passengers in navigating the MTA, New Jersey Transit, PATH and connecting transportation to ensure they reached New York New Jersey Stadium safely and efficiently. My education at FDU equipped me with a diverse skill set. It instilled in me the significance of professionalism, adaptability and problem-solving.
One of my favorite memories was volunteering at Rockefeller Center. Fans from every corner of the world gathered to celebrate the tournament, creating an energy that reminded me of the holiday season in New York City. Instead of the Rockefeller Christmas tree, there was a Lego FIFA World Cup trophy!”
“As manager, site operations at New York New Jersey Stadium, I am responsible for everything that takes place outside the stadium gates. This includes our gate setups, parking lot setups, any fan fests or activations, various concert queue lines and much more. For the World Cup specifically, I set up all the NJ Transit queues that brought people to the bus, train or American Dream, along with the signage. I worked with Traffic Monitoring System (TMS) to set their entire stadium operation up, which included a tent build, bike rack queues, fencing and hundreds of water barricades. I worked closely with FIFA security to place blocks around different locations on the property for pedestrian and spectator safety.
I would tell current FDU students that working in sports, especially operations, is a lot of work. You put in a lot of long hours, there is manual labor involved, you do a lot more than your job description and you assist all other departments. But, at the end of the day, it is very satisfying to see your work come together.”